Fall to Pieces
by xoxMelodyxox
Summary: Song-fic to Avril Lavigne - Fall to Pieces. - Gabriella meets Troy after being apart for years. They go to the Lake Park where memories return. Gabriella sees a young, in love couple and asks Troy if he remembers how that used to be them..


**Hey ppls! So this is a song-fic to Fall to Pieces by Avril Lavigne. I don't own the song or any of the characters.**

**Feel free to leave a review :)**

**x Melody**

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**Fall to Pieces**

Gabriella walked down the so well-known lane she'd walked down so many times before. It was early summer and she'd just moved back to Albuquerque after spending her college years at Stanford. So many memories these few days had brought back. Memories with her friends and family, but most of all; her one and only wildcat superstar: Troy Bolton. They had separated their ways after high school. The break-up had been so painful that Gabriella still got teary just thinking about it.

_- Flashback_

_It was the night after prom, the last day of high school. Gabriella and Troy were sitting in the Lake Park. It was a park nearby, and it was, not surprisingly, a lake inside of it. As they had done many times before, they sat on the grass, Gabriella in Troy's arms. It had been a peaceful night. The sky had been all clear and millions, even billions of stars had been looking down at them, casting a rather gloomy look over the lake. The surroundings were so peaceful, so perfect, that it had been shame to ruin them the way they did. _

"_Gabriella?" Troy had said. She had felt her body tense at the word; he rarely called her by her whole name. _

"_Yeah?" she had said, so afraid of what was coming. She had an idea._

"_You know it has to come sooner or later…" he said._

"_What? What has to come?" Gabriella said, she was on the edge of tears now. She knew very well what he was talking about, she just didn't want to face the fact that soon they'd be hundreds of miles apart and that they had to make a decision._

"_Gabriella, you know what I'm talking about," he said. She nodded slightly._

"_Yes," she said and turned around in his grip._

"_We're both leaving in a week and you know we have to say goodbye," he said._

"_Goodbye?" Gabriella had said, crying now. "Do you want to say goodbye?" she whispered._

"_I'd never say goodbye to you if it was up to me, but we both know that we can't spend months without seeing each other. You and me can't survive that, as much as I want to, it's too hard just spending the night without you Gabriella." he had said. And she knew that he'd been right. _

"_I know, but I don't want to leave you," she had said, while caressing his cheek, tears streaming down her own. _

_Troy had tried to be strong for her, but seeing her like this didn't make it easy. His eyes soften at her words and he felt that they were filling up._

"_I don't want to leave you either, Gabriella, trust me." he had whispered._

"_Someday, Troy, maybe we'll be together again..? Maybe we can go and fulfill our dreams, then find our place in this world..?" Gabriella whispered, her voice full of pain, but she sounded so hopeful. Like she needed a reassurance, just a tiny glimpse of hope. She cried harder now, the tears had developed into tiny rivers. He had nodded._

"_If we're meant to be, then we will, Gabriella." he joined her in crying. He pulled her into his chest where he held her so close, so tight, like it would be the last time he ever would hold her. At least for several years._

"_I'll wait for you, wildcat. I'll keep you with me in my heart and when it's time, I'll come back…" she whispered against his chest. For an hour they had been laying like this, enjoying each other company, because they knew that it'd be the last time for a very long time…_

_End of flashback._

That had been the last time she had spoken to Troy. So now she was back in this town that once had meant so much to her. She knew that Troy was living here too and now she was heading down to her favorite café. A café she and Troy used to have little coffee dates on before they headed somewhere to cuddle up to a movie or something. Little did she know that just today a certain someone was doing just the same.

She entered the café and sat down at the same place they always had used to sit. The waiter came and took her order. She gazed out of the window, her mind wandering to a world far away. God did she miss the way he used to pull her onto his lap while they were sitting here? She wondered what he was doing right now, and if he remembered her. She knew it was stupid, of course he did. Then she was drawn back to reality when she spotted a guy out on the street. Her heart skipped a beat, because even though his back was against her, she knew it was him. She got up from her seat and walked out the door, she could see his face now.

Oh my God, it is him! she thought.

She felt how butterflies started to flutter in her stomach at the sight of him. He had barely changed. Before she even got the chance to think she was running down the steps towards him. Still he hadn't spotted her. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.

He was shocked; an unknown girl was hanging around his neck. He pulled her off of him and looked at the girl who now was standing teary in front of him.

His eyes widened as his brain slowly started to realize who it was. Her long, dark hair was straightened, her eyes were still the same deep brown and her face was just as beautiful as he remembered. There was no doubt. It was her, his one and only love.

"Gabriella?" he whispered, he was struggling to not let his knees give in, so speaking normally would only take too much strength from him.

"Hey Troy," she smiled.

He pulled her into him again, hugging her closely. People passed them by, giving them looks, but they didn't care.

After a while they went into the café and sat down.

_I looked away  
then I looked back at you.  
You tried to say  
the things that you can't undo._

It was awkward. The two of them. The two that hadn't seen each other in years and now they were here, in the same room, around the same table. Well, the awkward thing was that they used to be a couple, they used to have something special, something they both treasured more than anything on Earth… And each of them was wondering if the other still had remaining feelings.

Gabriella looked out the window for a while, both of them were silent, until Troy suddenly broke the silence.

"Look Gabriella, through these years without you, I've been going through hell! I honestly don't know how I've survived, anyway, I just want to tell you that, if I could relive the past I wouldn't have let what we had end like that." he said.

_If I had my way  
I'd never get over you.  
Today's the day,  
I pray that we make it through._

Gabriella sighed. After they had gone their separate ways she'd been crying a lot. She felt like there was no point in living without him.

"Well, yeah. We can't change the past," she said.

_Make it through the fall,  
Make it through it all._

She really didn't know what else to say.

Again there was this awkward silence. She wanted to just get over to the other side of the table, let him pull her onto his lap again, and then they could share a kiss…

_And I don't wanna fall to pieces  
I just wanna sit and stare at you.  
I don't wanna talk about it.  
And I don't want a conversation  
I just wanna cry in front of you.  
I don't wanna talk about it  
'Cause I'm in love with you._

Troy looked at her secretly while she was looking outside the window. God, she was so beautiful. He felt how his body filled with regret because letting her go was the stupidest thing he'd ever done in his life. Everyone had told him to go to college, play basketball and fulfill his dream. And that's what he'd done, instead of listening to his heart that told him that his dream was right in front of him. He saw his dream every day, he felt his dream every day, and he lived his dream every day. Gabriella Montez was his dream.

She had always known how to make him feel better. He remembered once they'd lost a match and everyone was upset because of it. Everyone except for Gabriella who had taken him into her arms, kissed him lightly and said: "I am so proud of you, wildcat,". And with that he'd gone smiling into the locker room and the rest of the basketball team stared weirdly at him. They'd just lost a game and he was smiling?

'Gabriella', he simply had said and then they all nodded their heads and continued on what they were doing.

_You're the only one  
I'd be with till the end.  
When I come undone  
you bring me back again.  
__Back under __the__ stars,  
Back __into__your__ arms._

"So Troy, um, what are you doing at the moment?" she asked.

Wow, Gabriella, very creative, she thought.

"Well, I just moved back and I'm starting as a coach on East High this fall. Following the footsteps of my dad," he said. "And you?"

"Well, I don't know…" she said.

"What do you mean 'you don't know'?" he asked.

"I've been offered a job as a teacher at East High, as well. I don't know, but I'm probably going to take it." she said.

"That's great, Gabriella. I'm really-" he cut himself off. He was about to say 'proud of you', but how much are you allowed to say to your ex-girlfriend?

"You're what?" she giggled softly.

Troy smiled dreamily at her giggle.

"I'm really happy for you," he said.

"Thanks," she smiled. "But I know that wasn't what you were supposed to say," she added. "Even after all these years I still know you too well,"

_And I don't wanna fall to pieces  
I just wanna sit and stare at you.  
I don't wanna talk about it.  
And I don't want a conversation  
I just wanna cry in front of you.  
I don't wanna talk about it  
'Cause I'm in love with you._

Troy blushed slightly.

"I guess you do," he said, smiling a little.

"I was thinking about going to the Lake Park, you want to come?" she asked.

"Sure, let's go!" he said.

As they got out on the street again, Gabriella slowly gripped Troy's hand. She hoped so badly that she hadn't gone too far. He reacted by intertwining their fingers and smiling softly at her.

Gabriella sighed happily, was there still something..? Something between the two of them? Did he feel the way she did? She wanted to know.

_Wanna know who you are,  
Wanna know where to start,  
I wanna know what this means._

Troy felt Gabriella's soft hand in his and immediately intertwined their fingers. He smiled at her, she looked so beautiful in her short white top and jeans. He could feel feelings blossoming inside. He knew he felt something for her still, he never stopped loving this girl.

By taking his hand, he had asked himself the big question: Did she feel it too?

_Wanna know how you feel,  
Wanna know what is real.  
I wanna know everything… Everything._

When they reached the park they sat down on a bench. Gabriella saw a young couple laying cuddled up on the grass.

"Do you remember how that used to be us?" she asked him and pointed to the couple. He nodded.

"I do." he said.

Gabriella looked around. Memories came to her mind, most good ones, but there was one particular that set apart from the others. The one that was so gloomy and sad. Tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered. She bent her head down, staring at the ground so he wouldn't notice.

She felt like throwing her arms around his neck and hug him without letting go. She wanted him to hold her. She wanted the past back; she shouldn't have let him go!

Why had she been so stupid? She could have gone to UiA with him!

"Ella, are you okay?" Troy asked.

Gabriella smiled weakly through her tears. He had called her 'Ella'.

"Yeah, Troy. I'm fine," she lied. She didn't want to cry in front of him.

Right now, she just needed a hug, a big embrace from Troy. Then no words would be necessary.

_I don't wanna fall to pieces  
I just wanna sit and stare at you.  
I don't wanna talk about it.  
And I don't want a conversation  
I just wanna cry in front of you.  
__I __don't__ wanna talk __about__ it._

"After all these years I still know you too well to see that you're lying," he said and then he pulled her onto his lap. "Now, will you be a good girl and tell me what's wrong?" he asked, smiling that sweet, innocent smile of his, that smile that always made her melt.

"Well…" she started. She'd dreamed of sitting on his lap since the last time they were here. She'd dreamt of feeling those strong arms around her, because then it felt like nothing could go wrong, like he would protect her from all bad things.

So now she finally was there again, and now she was about to ruin it.

"I… miss…this…" she stuttered.

"Miss what?" he asked, having a slight idea of what she was indicating.

"You know… me, you, me and you. Like them," she said and pointed to the couple.

"Yeah, I miss it too," he said. "Do you remember the last time we were here together?" he asked. She was still sitting on his lap. She nodded, biting her bottom lip.

"Do you remember what we told each other?" he asked. She nodded again, it was hard to fight back the tears. It was hard just thinking about it, and now she was _talking _about it. With _him_.

He stood up, took her hand and led her over to the grass where they sat down next to each other.

_And I don't wanna fall to pieces  
I just wanna sit and stare at you.  
__I don't wanna talk about it._

"Is there anything left?" he asked.

She looked at him, confused. He smiled at that cute frown.

"You know, you told me you'd wait for me and that we'd find our place in this world when we were done fulfilling our dreams. So I'm wondering is there anything left? Do you still feel something for me?" he asked her.

She was shocked that he asked her just straight away like that.

_And I don't want a conversation  
I just wanna cry in front of you.  
And I don't wanna talk about it._

"Yeah, I never stopped. I couldn't stop," she whispered.

He smiled softly, looking at her for a while.

He took one of her hands in his own. Caressing it softly, following the outlines of it with his fingers.

"You know… Ever since that night I have been rethinking about my choice. I felt like I was doing what everyone wanted me to do, what I was supposed to do. But I didn't want to ruin your dream. You and I both know that I could never get into Stanford, and I didn't want to ask you to come with me to UiA, because you deserved so much better."

"I wish you would have asked me, Troy," she whispered, gazing up at him.

"And I wish I did, but I can't undo it. You're here now, living and breathing and even more beautiful than I remembered," he said, making her blush.

"When I saw you today, I felt something grow inside. Something that I hid, so I wouldn't get hurt. And now when I look at you, I recognize the feeling. I haven't felt it since you left, but now I've found out what it is… I guess what I'm trying to say is that… I'm still in love with you, Gabriella…" he said.

_'Cause I'm in love with you.  
I'm in love with you,  
'Cause I'm in love with you_.

"I… I love you too," she smiled and blushed. "Do you think we can have what we used to have?" she asked him and glanced over to the couple that was only sitting a few meters away now.

"You know what? I'm tired of you comparing us with them," he said. "When you know we can do so much better," he pushed her softly down on the grass, got on top of her and kissed her with all the passion and love he had gained through the years without her.

When the need for air became too necessary, they broke apart. Troy laid down next to her and Gabriella rested her head on his chest. He wrapped both arms around her, pulling her as close as they got.

"You were worth waiting for, wildcat," she smiled. He chuckled.

"Well, I told you we could do better," he smiled back and kissed the top of her head.

_I'm in love with you,  
I'm in love with you._

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**Soo..? Love it, hate it?  
I hope you liked it cause I spent my whole saturday night writing this! :)**

Love always,

**Mel**


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